Singing souls: How karaoke is becoming a competitive sport in Russia

The first karaoke clubs in Russia appeared right after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Source: RIA Novosti/Ilya Pitaev

For many Russians, karaoke is turning from a pleasant pastime into a real sport. There are clubs in almost two dozen Russian regions.

In 2016, Moscow will host the first Russian-Asian
karaoke tournament, the Asian Championship. Over the past decade, this popular
pastime in Russia has evolved from a simple hobby into quite a serious sport.

“Karaoke singers are like a second family to me,” says
Mikhail Khaldei, a karaoke ‘veteran,’ who came fifth in the 2006 Karaoke World
Championship, leaving behind nearly 100 other contestants. He continues to take
part in all major karaoke events and is often invited as a judge now. “People
who sing on stage open up to other people, which brings them closer together.
That is why so many happy marriages are formed here, so many people find real
friends here, people who would rush to help you whenever you call them,” he
adds.

Indeed, the atmosphere at karaoke championships is
very warm and friendly. As a rule, the venue is not just a concert hall, but a
café with a stage. Contestants have varying degrees of singing ability: There
are those who sing out of tune or do not have a strong enough voice, however,
the majority have a solid amateur level. Many have clearly given considerable
thought to how to present themselves on stage, which results in exciting music
numbers. Prizes can be quite substantial, from 50,000-ruble ($1,000) certificates
for purchasing karaoke equipment to paid holidays to Turkey.

“When a person realizes that they will have to soon
perform at such a big contest, they start working on their voice and on
presentation,” says Valeriy, a co-owner of the Karamel club in the south of
Moscow that hosts selection rounds for the world championship. “We help them to
become real artists, we even have dedicated instructors for that.”

Karaoke's growing popularity

In 2006, the karaoke movement was only starting to
develop and counted just 100 contestants in Moscow. The 2014 championship featured over a dozen Russian regions, and now the number of
regions has nearly doubled.

Mikhail Bebing, the general producer of karaoke
championships in Russia, has already started preparing for the 2016 Asian
Championship. In his opinion, the Russian language is popular enough in China
for Chinese contestants to perform songs in Russian at the championship.
“Promoting our culture, our folk traditions is a priority for us. This year I
would like our contestants to stop relying on English-language repertoire and
start singing in Russian, no matter what,” he says.

Bebing has been involved in producing and organizing
championships practically since the birth of the professional karaoke movement
in Russia in 2006. In 2016, he says, the project will develop a social
dimension. There will be charity contests held for the benefit of children’s
homes and people with disabilities.

History of karaoke in Russia

The first karaoke clubs in Russia opened right after
the breakup of the Soviet Union. At first, there were just a handful of them,
however now their number is huge. It is not at all surprising that this
industry has grown so much in a matter of 20 years. After all, Russians are a
singing nation, famous for their tradition of drinking songs. Karaoke clubs in
Russia are very popular as a place to have a birthday party, to hold a special
celebration or to declare one’s love with the help of a song.

Karaoke clubs in Russia usually have the format of a
large hall, where the mike passes from one table to another. If you do not want
to share the hall with four-five other tables, you will have to look for a
VIP-room and pay more.

“Small booths did not really catch on here,” says
Vyasheslav Lopunov, president of a non-commercial partnership for promoting
club-based karaoke, called the National Union of Karaokers. “We require a
concert format! The era of intimate singing is over, this is a showbiz era.
Karaoke has fit this niche perfectly.”

Lopunov is convinced that Russians are a very artistic
people, who seek self-expression. Therefore, it is not surprising that at some
point karaoke has ceased to be just a pastime and has moved on to a new level.